site.btaProsecution Launches Preliminary Investigation Into Death of Captain Marin Marinov in Gaza

The investigation was launched on May 19 following a report by lawyer Mincho Spasov and concerns the murder of a person under international protection, under Article 116 of the Penal Code.

Captain Marin Marinov, 51, was killed on March 19, during a deadly strike on a United Nations guesthouse in central Gaza, which severely wounded five others. It was the result of Israeli tank fire, a detailed investigation published by The Washington Post confirmed.

Following the incident, the United Nations withdrew around 30 international staff from Gaza, roughly a third of its foreign personnel in the territory, citing the inability to guarantee their safety.

At the end of June, Foreign Minister Georgi Georgiev commented on the death of Marinov during parliamentary control. The Minister said that Bulgaria insists that the issue of compensation for the family be settled. Georgiev explained that compensation for the family is being clarified between the UN and Israel as part of the insurance policy for international employees against malicious acts.

The Minister added that on April 24, a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces acknowledged that a shot fired from an Israeli tank had caused the death of Captain Marinov. He also pointed out that the Israeli Defence Forces had expressed their apologies for the incident. The spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces expressed deep regret for the loss and condolences to the family, Minister Georgiev said, adding that Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar had done the same in a telephone conversation with him.

Attorney Mincho Spasov announced the opening of a preliminary investigation into the case of Captain Marin Marinov during a press conference at the National Press Club of the Bulgarian News Agency, where an appeal in the form of an open letter from Bulgarian public figures and cultural figures was presented He specified that the investigation had been assigned to investigator Yasen Todorov.